Twice a year, baseball teams from all over Japan compete in a national tournament, Koshien.

Every March and August, Koshien is watched by millions and covered extensively by the national media, and with good reason: high school baseball players, as well as the brass bands and cheerleaders who cheer them on, approach the game with intensity and dedication unparalleled in other international high school sports. Kokoyakyu follows two teams and two coaches with very different philosophies as they make their way through local games to the “sacred ground” of Hanshin Koshien Stadium.

The evening will begin with a brief introduction of Koshien and the film will be followed by a Q&A and discussion with a former Japanese high school baseball player who participated in Koshien.